Bryan Cranston, 67, is one of the most acclaimed stars of his generation, thanks to his iconic, four-time-Emmy-winning performance as Walter White in Breaking Bad.
But Cranston recently announced that his acting days are numbered, as he plans to retire in three years — but for a heartwarming reason.
The actor, also known for his role on Malcolm in the Middle, told British GQ that in 2026, he plans to shut down his production company, sell his half of the Dos Hombres mezcal company, and retire from Hollywood life.
But Cranston, who will be 70 then, has some romantic plans for his retirement: he plans to relocate to France, for at least six months, to spend time with his wife, Robin Dearden, to whom he’s been married since 1989.
“I want to change the paradigm once again,” Cranston told GQ. “For the last 24 years, Robin has led her life holding onto my tail. She’s been the plus one, she’s been the wife of a celebrity. She’s had to pivot and adjust her life based on mine. She has tremendous benefit from it, but we’re uneven. I want to level that out. She deserves it.”
Cranston says he wants to live in a small village, learn to cook and grow a garden, and spend time reading classic literature.
“I want to have that experience,” Cranston said. “I want to go for day trips and have the fire in the fireplace and drink wine with new friends and not read scripts. It’s not going to be like, ‘Oh, I’ll read and see what I’m going to do.’ No, it’s a pause. It’s a stop. I won’t be thinking about [work]. I’m not going to be taking phone calls.”
Cranston’s retirement will surely come as a disappointment to his many fans, but he certainly has nothing left to prove: he will leave behind one of the most acclaimed acting careers in recent memory.
After playing dad Hal in the hit sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, Cranston landed his defining role as the teacher-turned-meth cook Walter White in Breaking Bad, one of the most acclaimed TV shows of all time. Cranston won four Emmy Awards for his performance, and another two for Outstanding Drama Series twice as producer.
He won two Tony Awards, for playing President Lyndon B. Johnson in All the Way and Howard Beale in the stage adaptation of Network. He also received an Oscar nomination for playing Dalton Trumbo in Trumbo.
Cranston recently reprised the Walter White role in the final season of spin-off prequel Better Call Saul, and his upcoming films include Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City and Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle.
He told GQ that there will be no revivals for Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul, and he’s ambivalent about some planned anniversary reunions (“let’s not try to do too much,” he said) but he is excited about a possible Malcolm in the Middle reunion.
“I’m curious about that family 20 years later,” Cranston said. “What happened to them? Where are they? What are the kids doing? They’re grown men now.”
Bryan Cranston is one of the best actors around, and we’ll miss him if he decides to retire in a few years — but he deserves a chance to relax and spend time with his wife ❤️
